The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors.
Electrical connectors generally include an insert that houses contacts, and the insert is retained in a shell. Electrical connector assemblies are often used in military and aerospace applications, and are also used in industrial, marine, and automotive applications, among others. The connectors, therefore, must be designed to withstand harsh environments, including extreme temperatures, pressures, physical forces like shock and vibration, corrosive contaminants, radiation, and electromagnetic interference. Therefore, the electrical connectors must be designed and assembled such that the contacts and insert do not become dislodged from the shell during operation in these harsh environments.
Currently, inserts are retained in the shells by adding an additional device to hold the inserts in position. Examples of these additional devices include composite retention clips and metal snap rings. These additional devices are added after the insert is loaded within the shell. Adding a separate snap ring or retention device requires special tooling, stocking of additional part numbers, additional time to add a secondary item, and potential dislodging of the retention mechanism due to improper seating or insertion process variations.
A need remains for an electrical connector that effectively retains an insert assembly within a shell while avoiding the problems associated with conventional electrical connectors.